For the Perry family a journey to health included a brand new business

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The family that juices together stays together. At least that's the case for the Perrys.

A few years ago, patriarch Doug Perry was facing some serious health issues and his family wanted to help him feel better. So all five of them – Doug, his wife Laurie, and their children Mitch, Korynne, and Grant – started researching best practices for all their needs.

Korynne suggested juicing and the whole family got involved. Doug lost 70 pounds, and they all felt so good they began looking for what else they could do.

Eventually, they found infrared saunas in one spot, a float-pod place in Detroit, and a unique massage bed in Kalamazoo. On these outings, the Perrys often found themselves looking for places to grab a juice, but rarely found them close to one another. That's when the plan for Pure Vitality was born – all their favorite goods and services could be in one place.

“When you put them all together, there’s nothing really like this in Mt. Pleasant or surrounding

communities," said Mitch Perry, "We felt this was a good central location to put everything together to help everyone feel their best and manage stress."

Members of the Perry family with Pure Vitality drinks

The Perry family hopes Pure Vitality serves as a welcoming center for alternative and holistic services like saunas, massages, and float pods. The spa combines all of the food and experiences the Perrys found were beneficial to their wellness and, they believe, the health of the community.

“We like to say we’re an oasis in the middle of town,” Mitch Perry said.

Pure Vitality opened about 18 months ago at 128 East Broadway, pulling together several shops to create one larger space with an intentional atmosphere.

One of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of that renovation project was finding the beautiful tin ceiling under some acoustical tiles. It took about four months to clean off the dirt and paint that covered them.

From there, the Perrys purposefully made the interior feel tropical. The front windows and interior rooms are filled with green plants. There is floral furniture and minimal disruptions from noise or the constant “pings” of smartphones - an effort to help their customers avoid information overload.

“It’s important to disconnect sometimes,” Mitch Perry said, noting that the sensory deprivation found within the spa's popular float pods -- an enclosed, human-sized tank that contains water with more than 1,000 pounds of epsom salt for a weightless experience -- is intended to help both mind and body relax. He recommends turning off all stimulation and just letting the water rock away the busy outside world.Floating inside a pod at Pure Vitality simulates a weightless environment

To attract customers from the community and nearby Central Michigan University, Pure Vitality keeps prices competitive, Grant Perry said. Customers can get an infrared sauna, massage bed, float pod and juice for $99. If you bring a friend, there's a $5 discount for both of you.

The juice bar is the sweetness at the end of any visit. Pure Vitality juices and smoothies blend fruits and vegetables to fit any taste. They have fun names like “Daily Detox,” “The Beet Goes On,” “Hail to Kale” and “Bee the Change." The latter features bee pollen and local Michigan honey. The only sweeteners that go into any of the Perry's drinks are honey or maple syrup, Mitch Perry added.

“We have people who come from all over to use our services. We’ve had customers from Traverse City to Detroit to Royal Oak. One customer who is a professional trucker comes in every time he goes through the area," said Mitch Perry, "He says it helps increase the quality of his life."